X-ray machine



March 24, 1931. F. WAPPLER ET AL X-RAY MACHINE Filed June 25, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet muss: E

INVENTORS FHEOER/MH MPH .51?

CHARLES 4 4 5 THE/ -A TTORNE Y F. H. WAPPLER ET AL X-RAY MACHINE March 24, 1931.

m R J 5 m 6 J 4 x m5 f M W mum m s i N? T a @7/ m M T /.l\ x. fix "m M w 1% A W I 8 L J w 4 n W 7 m. 44 n 4 E H a I H E a .U R m w U 4 Em 52 m. z N 5 4 v a 7 l 6 E hur i 7 2 00 7 3 v n 4 w M M H u 1 EL? 5 a? a w E a 6 8 a 6 (a 2 i MZ'W lUHI U JW I 0v :W \I II W .6 m k 0 W 4 .v q 7 n q. B w WE/D Z \w \QA M 4 /W 2 9 5 4 H 3 m a Patented Mar. 24, 1931 nnnnnnroxnqwnrrtnn Al\TD cHAnnEsrnYEn, .orrLUsHING; NEW YORK; ASSIGNORS TO WATPPLER ELECTRIC communitie A conronarron or miwyonx" x-nAY MACHINE I Application filed il'une 25,

Our invention relatesto X-ray machines: that is, to machines constructed, arranged and adapted for. use in connection with X-ray tubes and various ciated therewith.

" More particularly stated, 'weseelr to pro-f 1-. closing a transformer and carrying a tube drum so as to operate collectively as a unit but such a unit was not successful except when used'in connection with high tension mechanism in which the currents were not rectified, or where the hlgh tension currents Weredeveloped by means of an induction coilfop- 'erated by aid of a Wehnelt interrupter.

- switch, a motor for actuating the switch, and. in addition a tube drum'carrying the X-ray; tube, the unit as a whole being so constructed and arranged asto enable a'number of ad-l In thisconnection,'attention is called to the fact that where a high tensioncurrent rec "tifie'r is actuated by a motor and these parts f are contained within a'cabinet, the motion of the rector generally causes a considerable amount of agitation of the'cabinet. Besides this, the'parts mentioned as heretofore assem'bled were as a whole rather bulky, so that if a tube drum were added tothe cabinet'the unit would become too large and unwieldy for practical uses:

In the devices of the prior art-the X-ray J 'tube-has not yet been madereadily movable up and down to different heights'or levels, and the attempts'heretofore made for mounting the tube drum upon a cabinetcontaining a rectifier have resulted in structures which "were quite clumsy, and which have been so arranged as to give too little protectionto' the operator and'to bystanders, as against the'deL eterious efiects of X-rays.

Our improved X-ray cabinet is so confstructed and arranged so as to readily contain a transformer, ahigh tension rectifying parts immediately ass0- different parts of the face, mouth, necklor 192s. SerialNo. 647,449.

vantages to be obtained, among which are the following: f y f First, because of. the presence oflthe high tension rectifying switch and the consequent fact that the currents employed are rectified, inverse discharges and immense potential strains "are avoided, so that the machine is thus "rendered efficient for therapy 1 work; whereas without the features just mentioned" there would be danger of producing skin burns and rendering inadequatethe depth of the X-ray doses, and further, the X-ray tubes would readily become dangerously overheated, and at best'would produce a much smaller percentageof useful X-rays.

Second, in' our device the X ray' tube is contained ina tube drum, madeup in part of metals sufficientlyheav y as to render unnecessary any additional protection of this kind. for thepatient and the bystanders,

Third,,the tube drum with the X-ray'tube contained thereini's movable bodily up and down, and is also revoluble upon its own longitudinal axis, so that the X- 'ray tube can be brought to any desiredheight, and the angle ofthe direction in which the X-rays pass out of the tubedruin can flbechanged to direct the X-rays to any desired portion of the patients.-body.- l 1 Y Fourth,thetransformer, the high tension rectifying switch and theihightension leads to the X ray tube are all completely housed, so' that complete protection is attained as against accidental shocks from the high tension currents; r- 5 Fifth, the X-ray tube, is rendered easily removable from: the casing and the tube drum.

SiXth, the 'X-ray tube drum is provided with an opening through which the X-rays passout,gthis opening being of such form and so located as to enable X-ray apertures of different sizes to be used in'connection therewith, in order to facilitate the treatment of head of the patient.

Reference is made to the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification we and in which like reference characters indicate like parts throughout the several figures.

' Figure 1 is a rear view of our improved machine consisting of the cab-met and parts 7 contained therein, the structure being shown drum and parts immediately adjacent .the

' same the tube drum here occu in a "'osi- 2::

tion difierent from that shown for it in Fig ure 2.

.V'Figure -4lis'a substantially central fragmentary vertical section through the upper portion'ofthe cabinet, and-shows the mechanism for enabling the operator to shift'the tube drum to different levels relatively to the cabinet. V

r Figure!) is: a side elevation ofthe cabinet, showing'the portion thereof opposite the one shown in Figure 2.

:Figure '6 is a substantially central longi' tudinal section through a portion of the tube drum, and shows the manner in which the X-ray tube and certain partsimmediately associated therewith are detachably mounted inposition. Figure? isa fragmentary section through the 'X-ray tube and parts immediately associatedtherewithand is taken upon the line 7 7 of Figure 6, looking in the directionindicated by thefarrows,

The cabinet appears at 7, and'has generally the form of a box. It isprovidedwith'an inclined wall 8, and with a mp9, the latter r 1n-the direction ofits length. This action having an inclined portion 10.

'Mounted within the cabinet nous motor 11, and connected with thelatter are a pair of conductors 12and 13.

V Disposed upon opposite sides of the motor 11 are a pair of posts 14 and 15., and con-.

nected with those posts are flexible conductors 16 and 17,'u'sedtor energizing the 'X-l ray tube, the two conductors 17 being used also for supplying current to heatthe filament of the X-ray tube.

The tube drum appears at 18, and has general'lyl the form of a cylinder,-which is mount-- ed to rock relatively to the-cabinet. Carried by the tube drum 18, and extending radially thereinto,;are a pair ofposts'1-9 and 20, of the form shown more'particularly in Figures 6 and 7.

The cabinet is provided with adoorway 21, and with a door 22. r The synchronous motor 11 rests upon abox 23, located within the cabinet and used for containingthe transformer mechanism 23*. l

A pair of supporting levers areshown at 24, 25, .andare mounted upon journal pins '26, the latter extending through a pair of,

brackets 27, located atopposite sides of the the screw.

. The operator: by turning the hand wheel.

is a synchro-v beam-"29"an'd extending downwardly therefrom'are 'apair ofli'nks 3O. These links are .at theirilower ends secured to anchorages 31 soa's'to' support a counter weight 32. This counter weightcarries a guide pin 33, extending upwardly from'it through a stationary guide-84fhaving the form of an eye, and mounted upona beam 35, which extends vertically, as. may be understood'from Figures land 4*. .il 7

Mounted upon the upperq'portion of the beam 35 is a bearing 86. Slidably mounted inithis bearingis a plunger 37. This plunger is movable vertically in relation to the bearing 36' and is provided with a tongue 38 whichworks in agroove39, so as toprevent the plunger from rotating relatively to the bearing,ras maybe understood from Figure V The plunger 37 is provided with a screw hole 40, and fitting into thelatter is a screw 41, which extends downwardly from and is supportedbya' collar 42, serving as a hearing. A hand wheel'48 is'carried by the upper end of the screw 41, and is used for turning 43 causeswthe screw 41 to rotate, and this causes the plunger37 to be raised orlowered raises and lowers the cross beam 29, causing the supporting levers 24 and 25 to rock upon the' journal pins 26, thus lowering and raising the tube drum 18. e

. llhe partsare so proportioned that the tube drum and; its contents slightly overbalance the counter weight 32, so that the cross beam 29 presseslightly but firmly against the lower end of the plunger 87. Hence the operator, by turning: the handwheel 43, can shift the tube drum 18 to diflerent levels relatively to the cabinet body,

The tube drum .18 is carried by the supporti n'gjlevers 24 and 25, and is journaled upon the outer endsthereof. The tube drum mayrbe rocked or turned, within certain l1m1ts,-upon 1ts mountings. By means of a locking lever 44, the tube dru m may be locked ,;an,d;:.49, provided-with bearings 50 and 51,

havingith'e form of stufling'boxes and each carrying azsupportingring 52 made of cork. The bearings 5( );and 51 each have a form .which may bemore particularly understood by reference toFigure 6. Each bearing-is provide'dwith a portion 53, detachable from the standard 18 or 49, as indicated'in Figure 7, and held in "position by a clamping plate 54, the clamping plate being secured by fastenings 55, as shown more particularly in Figure 7. i

I The cathode is shownat 56 and is heated by means of a pair of conductors 57 and 58, conveniently united in a single cord or cable 59, extending through the post 19, which is of tubular form. The anode is shown at 60, and connected with it is a heat radiator 61. A conductor 62 extends through the post 20, and is electrically connected with the flexible conductor 16.

The standards 48 and 19 engage a flat board 63 made of wood, and having a form which may readily be understood from Figures 6 and 7. Another board 64, also made of wood, is disposed parallel with the board 63 and separated therefrom by a composite plate 65, made of a mixture of lead and rubber, desig nated in this art as a lead rubber plate.

Screws 66 extend through the boards 63 and 64 and the plate 65, into the standards 48 and 49, as may be understood from Figure 6. Thus the boards 63 and 64;,with the plate 65 and other parts just mentioned, constitute a small platform carrying the standards 18 and 49,- as maybe understood from Figures 6 -and7. W

By means of bolts 67 and butterfly nuts 68, shown more particularly at the bottom of Figure 6, the platform just described is as a whole detachably mounted upon the cylindrical tube drum 18. For this purpose the tube drum is provided with an opening 69, so

that the platform, when secured in position as indicated at the bottom of Figure 6, practically closes this opening. Thus with the Various movable parts just describedoccupying the positions indicated for them in Figures 6 and 7, the X-ray tube is located centrally with the cylindrical tube drum and disposed coaxially thereto, as may be understood from Figure 3.

The wall 80f the cabinet is provided with two slots 70, 71, shown more particularly in Figurel, and the two parts 19, 20, carried by the tube drum, extend loosely into the cabinet, through these two slots. 7

It is evidentthat by means of this arrangement the tube drum, carrying the X-ray tube and various other parts immediately'asso- 'ciated therewith, can be rocked upon its mountings, and thus turned into various normalpositions. For this purpose theconductors 16 and 17, used for energizing the tube and for heating the cathode filament, are suificiently flexible and the posts 19 and 20 are ai unit. The platform being detached, the.

operator can nextinspect, remove or replace" the X-ray tube, ormake minor repairs thereupon. f V

The outer or superficial layer of the tube drum is of phenol condensation product, hard rubber or the like,:and encloses a wall 72 of :lead and a lining 7 3 of iron or steel. The tube drum as a whole is provided with an opening'i' l, and carries a projection? 5, having;a"wi1id.ow"Z6 made of leather and held in position by a clamping ring 7 7. Ordinarily when the X-ray tube is; in active use the X- rays are unable to pass out of the tube drum, except through they projection 75. Therefore in practice thetube' drum is turned by hand so as to'bring the projection to the proper position for thepassage of the X-rays for the particular purpose contemplated. Thev device as here arranged is well adapted for dental work, but equally suitable for work upon the face, neck orhead of the patient, or upon any other part ofthe patients body.

The tube drum is providedwith a doorway 78, and with a door 7 9-iorclosing this doors way, the door 79 being of arcuateform in crosssection, as indicated in Figure'3. A spring 80 exertspr-essure upon the door, and tends to keep the same closed. The operator by swinging the door 7 9 upwardly can obtain access to the interior of the tube drum.

The tube drum 'carries'a pair of stop. hooks 81 and 82, mounted upon it by means of a pin I 83, as indicatedniore-particularly in. Figure f 5. ,The two stop hooks 81 and 82'are soarranged that they limit the travel of the "tube drum, by lodging against the adjacent supporting lever 25", as may be understood from the figure just mentioned. a

Mounted upon the top of the cabinet is an electric switch 84, for enabling the operator to control the electrical mechanism contained within the cabinetand connected with the X-ray tube. V

The t be drum may be rocked by hand into an infinite numberof difierentangular positions'within the limits of-travel permitted by the stop hooks 81' and '82, so that the pro: 1

j ecting portion 7 5, through which the X-rayscan pass out freely, can be brought to practically any suitable position required for X-ray work.

We find thatwith the parts constructed and ways, and that the operator and any bystanders grouped around the unit are not exposed to danger either from the X-rays or from high tension shocks.

By theme of our device the X-rays may be so employed as to render the doses of ade quate depth, and without producing burns of the skin. The X-ray tube does not become overheated to the extent of becoming dangerous, and the output of usefulX-rays is very high,

It will be noted that the X-ray drum is provided with a single opening through which the X-rays pass out, and that this open- I ing is adapted for use with apertures of differentsizes, upon different parts of the neck or face, or other portion of-the body of the patient.

e do not consider it necessary-to explain the various therapeutic and radiographic uses to which the X-ray tube may be put by aid of our invention, nor to explain the general steps employed in X-ray work.

e do not'limit ourselves to the precise mechanism here shown and described, as variations may be made therein without departing from our invention, the scope of which is commensurate with our claims.

We claim:

l. The combination of a cabinet body, a tube drum supported upon said cabinet body and journaled to rock relatively thereto, said tube drum being provided with a portion through which X-rays can pass out and further provided with means for preventing X-rays from passing out except through said portion, a platform detachably connected with said tube drum, standards carried by said platform'and extending therefrom ra- 4' idially into said tube drum for the purpose of supporting an X-ray tube therein, and

flexible conductors supported partly by said tub drum and extending intosaid tube drum, for the purpose of energizing said X-ray tube therein.

2. A device comprising a cabinetbody, a tube drum supported by said cabinet'body and having, the general form of a cylinder closed at its ends, saidtube drum being for "the most part opaque to prevent the passage of X-rays from it, but provided with a portion relatively transparent for the purpose of permitting the passage of X-rays through said portion, a platform carried by said tube V drum and detachable therefrom, standards carried by said platform, an X-ray tube mounted upon said standards, so that said platform, said standards and said X-ray tube may as a unit be disengaged from said tube drum by detaching said platform therefrom, and flexible conductors connectedwith said Xray tube for the purpose of energizing said X-ray tube in different positions of'said tube drum.

3. An X-ray machine comprising a cabinet box, supporting levers journaled upon said 

